Something more to say on this....
Some people believe that passing below a ladder can bring bad luck, others believe that four leaved clovers can bring good luck while a third group believe that carrying a rabbit's foot can bring good luck.
These aren't omens.
The Prophet Muhammad clarified that there was no concept of ill omens in Islam
Why would we take Muhammad's words into consideration of what he feels is right and wrong?
and that belief in ill omens would lead individuals to polytheism (shirk)
There are a lot of polytheists (people who believe in more than one god) that do not believe in omens. I think you mean pagans. There are a lot of pagans that do not believe in omens. I don't do divination techniques; and, I am a pagan and a polytheist. Explain how one has to do with the other?
He stated that the cry of a bird or the way it flew could not be interpreted as ill omens, and he advised that unusual objects and events be interpreted in a positive way.
Omens are usually seen in a positive way. I think you'd have to show more interest in people who belief in them than to accuse their beliefs as negative.
That is like my telling you that praying to god by prostrations is a negative way because it goes against how I pray to my grandmothers and ancestors. Does that make sense? If it's wrong, why wouldn't you think it's wrong for the other person as well?
He also mentioned that casting spells or carrying amulets would harm the belief in tawhid (the Unity of God).
I don't remember hurting people when I "cast a spell" if you like. I actually don't know what that means from the Muslim point of view. I just know I talk with my grandmothers in different ways and as a result, I come to know more of my living family that I thought I would not this Christmas.
I also find this clear quartz around my chest gives me a light feeling. Unusual, the actual object, has yet to do anything negative just by my wearing it and what I believe about it. Muhammad has some interesting ways of interpreting other people's beliefs and practices
without him asking us how they affect us and why we use them.
Not all superstitions are omens. Omens are closer to what some people see as coincidences while others blessings from Allah given by a specific prayer and thought of action.
Divination techniques sometimes relate to Omens. When you pray to Allah and a prayer is answered, that prayer and "answer" is considered an positive omen.
If you asked Allah to help a loved one in sick health in prayer, and miraculously she gets better, that's an omen and your prayer is a form of divination that you believe in. In other words, prayer can be a divination act and many people associate prayers with omens since they both relate to each other.
Superstition would be like broken mirrors. Usually defined by myths and unproven beliefs about something that may or may not be true. It has nothing to do with omens and divination.
Muslim:
Divination: The practice of prayer of
asking Allah to help your loved one well
Omen: The actual
belief that your loved one would be well by the will of Allah by your prayers
Superstition: To outsiders, these things above: "that a supernatural deity coming to help your loved one from sickness" is considered a superstition.
What is wrong with people like Muslims, Christians, Pagans, Bahai, Hindu, Buddhist, among others who believe in divination and omens?
Most of
us above do not consider our prayers, rituals, and worship as divination and omens, and most definitely not superstitions.
They are.
What's wrong with that?
